How to get a discount on Heathrow Express

As a lot of readers find this post directly via a search engine, I would also like to say Welcome and to say that if you have ANY interest at all in Avios, air miles or hotel loyalty points then please stick around – there is a lot for you here!)

A few months ago I wrote a post on the different ways of finding a Heathrow Express discount. Quite a few things have changed since then, though, and as the post has also proved to be one of the most popular in the back catalogue I have decided to update it. You will also learn how to earn Avios with Heathrow Express tickets.

Discounts for two people travelling

Heathrow Express has a special offer for 2 people travelling together – £50 return in Standard Class. Full details are here. You need to use promotion code DUO12 when you book.

Note that, despite what the websites may say, in reality you do not need to be travelling with the relevant airline to use the discount. I have never heard of anyone being asked for a boarding card or eticket – and many people don’t carry these anyway.

If you play around with the end of the URL, other discounts will come up. I don’t think there is anything better than 10% available, but let me know if you find anything!

You earn 1 WorldPoint per £1 spent. They can be redeemed for Avios airmiles, Virgin Flying Club miles, Miles & More miles, Heathrow shopping vouchers and various others bits and pieces. You therefore effectively earn 1.2 Avios per £1 spent on Heathrow Express tickets.

Using a railcard on Heathrow Express

Don’t forget that if you have a railcard (National Railcard, 16-25 Railcard, TFL Annual Gold Card, Senior Railcard etc) then you can also get a discount – my Mum gets 34% off with her Senior Railcard.

To be awkward, the Heathrow Express website and ticket machines do not offer railcard discounts. You need to buy in person at the HEx desk at Paddington or Heathrow, use a ticket machine at Paddington belonging to a different train company (yes, that is how it works!) or buy online from any of the train company websites – preferably one of the train company ones which do not charge additional booking fees, unlike thetrainline.com etc.

For a group of 4 or more, there is also the Group Weekender ticket. This is £9.50 one-way (£4.75 for a child), can only be bought at Heathrow or Paddington at the ticket office, is only valid on a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday, and needs a group of 4 or more to be travelling.

Don’t forget Heathrow Connect

If you don’t want to take the HEx at all, Heathrow Connect from Paddington is also an option. If you are flying from Terminal 1-3, it is a direct service. You need to change trains for Terminals 4 and 5, which means – if you are going to T5 – it is more hassle than the HEx. However, at £9.10 for a one-way ticket as opposed to £14.58 using the code on the ANA site, you may find it worth it. If you have a London travelcard, for up to Zones 1 to 6, you get a further discount as the price will be based on the fare from the edge of your travelcard zones, not to or from Paddington.

And, of course, there is the tube and indeed bus options. Both are cheaper, but the tube does lack the comfort and space of the trains – the Heathrow Express is, in my view, the ‘poshest’ train service in the country. In many ways, it depends where you are starting from as to whether going via Paddington is convenient.

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